Thursday, May 29, 2014

Blue Football Through and Through has done an all-decade team for the 70's and 80's; time now for the All-90's Boise State Football Team*.

QB: Bart Hendricks

Hendricks gets the nod over four-year starter Tony Hilde here. The two are very comparable running the football, but Hendricks' passing percentage was what put him ahead of Hilde.In three seasons prior to his senior year, Hendricks connected on 440-of-785 passes (56.05%) for 5,666 yards and 43 touchdowns against 26 interceptions. Bart also tucked it and ran 253 times for 740 yards and 14 touchdowns.RB: Chris Thomas and K.C. AdamsThomas is an easy choice here, piling up 1,724 yards on 416 carries (4.14 yards per carry) with 15 trips to the end zone. The versatile back also snared 55 passes for 486 yards and another score.

Adams gets the other running back spot by the narrowest of margins. K.C. only played one season at Boise State, but his running was a major reason why the Broncos won the Big Sky Conference and advanced to the NCAA I-AA national championship game. He carried 238 times for 1,275 yards (5.36 yards per carry) and nine scores, and caught 41 passes for 490 yards and four TD's.Eron Hurley gets a strong Honorable Mention here, having gained the same number of yards in his career as Adams (1,275 on 248 carries). Hurley scored 12 rushing touchdowns, and caught 23 passes for 177 yards and three TD's in his Boise State career.WR: Ryan Ikebe and Rodney Smith

This was another tough call for the second player. Ikebe, as one of Boise State's all-time top receivers, is an easy choice, with his 162 catches for 2,751 yards (16.98 yards per catch) and 27 touchdowns.We're going with Smith, not because of his number of receptions, but we believe his 20 TD's are indicative of his value to his team during Boise State's early years in Division I football. Smith finished his career with 117 receptions for 1,689 yards (14.44 ypc).Again, we have to give a strong Honorable Mention to great Bronco receiver Mike Wilson. Wilson had 159 catches for 2,290 yards and eight scores in his career.TE: Del GravenGraven played both fullback and tight end, but he gets the nod here, after grabbing 61 passes for 638 yards and a touchdown.Others given strong consideration include Jim Brekke, Larry Stayner, Dave Stachelski and Bernie Zimmerman.C: Paul Coffman

Coffman earned All-Big Sky Conference honors in the middle of the Bronco line, starting in 1994 and 1995, edging out current Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Pitman.G: Alex Toyas and Jeremy MankinsToyas earned All-Big Sky honors, and started in 1994 and 1995, while Mankins was a four-year starter for the Broncos, earning All-Big West Conference in 1999.T: Jermaine Belin and Keith DilworthBelin (top left) anchored the Bronco line to help the offense make the transition to major college football, and earned All-Big West Conference honors doing it. Dilworth was a part-time starter his freshman year, then started from 1997-1999.DE: Chris Wing and Erik HelgesonWe weren't looking for just number of tackles from the DE spot, but rather the amount of havoc caused.

Chris Wing had an incredible career for Boise State, finishing with 176 tackles, 18 for loss, with 32 sacks, five forced fumbles, one recovery, and five pass deflections. Havoc was his middle name.

The second spot was tougher. Erik Helgeson only played one year in the 90's, but it was a great one, with 23.5 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks. Helge's numbers are nearly up with the other d-ends for their career, and, since Erik was edged out for the 80's team, one of Boise State's all-time best players at the position gets the nod here. Helgeson had 51 tackles in 1990, with two fumble recoveries.Jon Rydman, with his 137 tackles, 28 for loss, and 12.5 sacks, nine pass deflections, three forced fumbles, and two recoveries, is a strong Honorable Mention, as his Joe O'Brien and Bobby Setzer. DT: Chris Shepherd and Sione Fifita Kimo von Oelhoffen was the highest-profile defensive tackle to come out of Boise State in the 90's, but injuries plagued him here, to the point of his career tackles and sack numbers being a-third of the two tackles we chose. As great as Kimo was, and as much as we love him, we cannot go with him here given the facts.

Fifita posted 171 career tackles, 16 for loss, with 12.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, two recoveries, and a pass deflection.

Shepherd (center) had 15 tackles for loss and 17 sacks to go with his 158 tackles, seven pass deflections, and a fumble recovery.LB: Brian Smith, Bryan Johnson and Eric Escandon

Smith (head coach of Wenatchee Valley of the Indoor Football League in 2010-11) posted 333 tackles from his middle linebacker spot, including six for loss, with 12.5 sacks, eight pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two recoveries, and an interception.

Johnson had 270 tackles, 28 for loss, with 8.5 sacks, 10 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and two recoveries.

Escandon finished his great Bronco career with 271 tackles, 17 for loss, with seven sacks, 11 pass deflections, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and four recoveries.Honorable Mention to Tim Langhans, Stefan Reid, and Scott Monk.CB: Rashib Gayle and Dempsey DeesGayle had 167 tackles, 3 for loss, but his ball-hawking skills definitely won him a spot. He had 11 interceptions and 22 pass deflections, with two forced fumbles and three recoveries.

Dees is another CB who would fit into new DC Marcel Yates' scheme. Dees had 112 career tackles, with 11 interceptions, 37 deflections, three forced fumbles, and one recovery.Honorable Mention here to Frank Robinson and DaWuan Miller. Robinson of course made the All-80's Boise State Football Team*.S: Tim Foley and Jeff DavisQuintin Mikell was just beginning his great Bronco career in the 90's, so we went with two guys who made things happen in the Bronco secondary throughout their time at Boise State.Foley had 184 stops, with four interceptions and 14 pass deflections, three tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two recoveries.Davis finished with 186 tackles, seven for loss, with six interceptions, five forced fumbles, eight deflections, and two recoveries.Strong Honorable Mention here to Anthony Brown, who had 10 career interceptions and 13 deflections, and also to Marcel Yates.P: Jeff Edwards

Although Edwards only punted one full season in the 90's (he was injured in 1999), he is the only Bronco punter in the decade to average over 40 yards a kick. Edwards punted 73 times for 3037 yards (41.60).PK: Mike DoddWe have the same situation with the placekickers, where of course accuracy is paramount. Boise State was blessed to have several good kickers in the 90's, but Dodd was the only one to nail over 70% of his kicks. He was 23-31 in field goals (74.19%) and a perfect 16-16 on PAT's, for a total of 82 points in 1992.Strong Honorable Mention to Mike Black and Greg Erickson.PR: Kerry Lawyer

Lawyer was the premier Big Sky specialist in the 90's, returning 53 punts for 955 yards (18.02 avg.) and three taken for touchdowns.Strong Honorable Mention to K.C. Adams, who returned 19 punts for 216 yards and one very memorable touchdown in his only season (1994).KR: Kerry LawyerLawyer returned 53 kickoffs for 1,229 yards (23.2 avg.).

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Hometown grocery store Albertson's has purchased the naming rights to Bronco Stadium, donating a total of $12.5 million over 15 years.Joe Albertson started Albertson's in 1939, and they are coming up on their 75th Anniversary. Boise State, of course, started in 1932, and is celebrating its 82nd Anniversary.

Friday, May 9, 2014

Boise State defensive end Demarcus Lawrence was drafted today by the Dallas Cowboys, who traded up to get him in the second round of the National Football League Draft. Lawrence was the 34th overall player chosen (the second player drafted in the second round), and the first player chosen from the Mountain West Conference. Demarcus will join former Bronco cornerback Orlando Scandrick and Bronco defensive lineman Tyrone Crawford in Dallas.

Lawrence is the 53rd Boise State football player drafted, and the seventh to go in the second round. Fourteen of those 53 have been selected in the first three rounds, including nine in the last seven years.

Lawrence finished his brief but amazing Bronco career #2, #7 and #12, respectively, in career forced fumbles, sacks and tackles for loss. Lawrence teamed up with Beau Martin for the seventh-best duo in Bronco history in recording tackles for loss last year. Lawrence, Martin and Kharyee Marshall rank ninth all-time for the most tackles for a loss by a trio in one season, and Lawrence, Martin, Marshall and Tyler Horn rank ninth in school history for the most tackles for loss by a quartet in a single season.

Lawrence had 120 tackles in two seasons with Boise State to rank 30th in school history among defensive linemen. He is seventh in career sacks with 20, well short of career record holder Erik Helgeson (54.5), but last season became the first Bronco in ten seasons to record ten sacks in a year.Lawrence also had 20.5 tackles for loss last year for the Broncos, the most recorded since career record holder Chris Wing had 33 in 1996.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Yesterday, we finished the Offensive Records* update. Today, the entire records section is complete and up-to-date, becoming the first time that information is available to Bronco fans this season.Highlights include Bryan Douglas setting a school record with his 30.38 kickoff return average last season.Demarcus Lawrence finished his brief but amazing Bronco career #2, #7 and #12, respectively, in career forced fumbles, sacks and tackles for loss. Lawrence teamed up with Beau Martin for the seventh-best duo in Bronco history in recording tackles for loss. Lawrence, Martin and Kharyee Marshall rank ninth all-time for the most tackles for a loss by a trio in one season, and Lawrence, Martin, Marshall and Tyler Horn rank ninth in school history for the most tackles for loss by a quartet.Trevor Harman finished up as the #4 Bronco punter of all-time in career average, while Shane Williams-Rhodes' punt return average in 2013 was the fourth-best for a single season.http://bluefootballthroughandthrough.blogspot.com/p/defensive-scoring-records.html

The Offensive Records section is now updated with last year's data. You can look all over the internet, but Blue Football Through and Through is the first place to contain the updated records section, and it is without peer for size and number of statistical categories. You can access it at any time by clicking on the Offensive Records* Tab at the top of the website. The link is also shown below:http://bluefootballthroughandthrough.blogspot.com/p/offensive-records.html

Highlights include Matt Miller breaking the school record for receptions in a season with 88, and Joe Southwick breaking the school mark for completion percentage for a game (27-29 vs. Air Force). Miller and Shane Williams-Rhodes shattered the existing record for most receptions by a duo that was previously held by Austin Pettis and Titus Young. Miller, Williams-Rhodes and Geraldo Boldewijn broke the record for most receptions by a trio as well.Jay Ajayi also set a school mark, becoming only the fourth Bronco in history to record 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving in the same game. Ajayi rushed for 147 and had 105 receiving yards against New Mexico last year.Additionally, Miller is currently second all-time in career receptions, fifth in career receiving yards and fourth in career touchdown receptions. Williams-Rhodes is currently third all-time for rushing yards by a receiver.Jay Ajayi moved into 11th in career rushing, which includes the third-most rushing yards by his sophomore year (an exclusive statistic brought to you by Blue Football Through and Through). Ajayi ranks 10th in career touchdowns and his 18 rushing TD's last season is the third-best in school history.Joe Southwick wrapped up his Boise State career by recording the second-best single-season passing percentage ever at Boise State and finishing as the second-most accurate passer in his Bronco career. Southwick also finished with the second-lowest career interception percentage, fifth in career passing efficiency, sixth in career completions, eighth in career total offense, and ninth in career touchdown passes.Grant Hedrick's 2013 campaign ranked him in the top five for passing percentage, and, despite only starting half the season, Hedrick is already ranked 17th in career touchdown passes and 23rd in career passing yards. Hedrick's five-TD passing game against Colorado State put him tied for second all-time, and Grant's 115-yard rushing performance vs. Nevada is second all-time for yards by a quarterback.

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About Me

I have been a fan of Boise State since 1968. In 1975, I won a national Quill & Scroll award for Best Feature Writing. I graduated from Boise State in 1986 with a B.B.A. in Management. Since that time, I have researched and published several articles about the Broncos and have helped to raise $200,000 for the school as well as to sell out season football tickets and various other projects.